Energy firm gives family support charity a birthday boost

A local family support charity has
received a welcome 30th birthday gift in the form of a substantial
donation from a major energy company.

Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited has
made a recent donation of £5,000 to Home-Start Aberdeen as the charity prepares
to celebrate its thirtieth year of supporting families in the city.

Home-Start Aberdeen is a voluntary
organisation that offers families who may be vulnerable, or suffering from
isolation, with emotional and practical support in their own homes.

The charity has just launched a
’30 in 30’ volunteer recruitment drive to coincide with its 30th anniversary
year. It aims to attract and train 30 new home visiting volunteers in 30 weeks,
to allow it to reduce the number of families that are currently waiting for
support.

This latest donation from Nexen’s
community investment fund follows a series of previous funding gifts.
Home-Start Aberdeen has received £19,000 from the energy company since 2013;
Nexen has also provided Home-Start in Hillingdon, which is located nearby its
London headquarters, with funding support.

Ray Riddoch, Nexen’s managing
director UK & senior VP Europe said: “Nexen is committed to helping to
strengthen the communities where we live and work. We focus on supporting
initiatives that build inclusive, safe and thriving communities. Home Start provides opportunities and
resources for families who need a step up, often helping them before they reach
crisis point and in the safety of their own homes. Their mentoring programme delivers long term,
positive effects for the families they help, resulting in stronger and more
resilient communities across the areas where they work. We’re delighted to be able to continue to
support Home Start in 2017.”

Georgette Cobban, scheme manager,
Home-Start Aberdeen, said: “Nexen’s generous support has made a genuine impact
on our work in recent years. We have experienced a significant increase in
demand from families during this period and Nexen’s funding has enabled us to
grow to meet these demands. Home-Start Aberdeen takes a great pride in the
quality of training that we offer our volunteers, as this training ensures that
our families receive the best possible support. We currently have over 30
families on our waiting list. This latest donation will help us to run additional
volunteer preparation courses so that we can reach these families more quickly.”

Home-Start Aberdeen’s 30th
anniversary year commenced on Monday, 13 February 2017. The charity, which supports around 200
families and 300 children each year, works with referred families to help them
access relevant health and welfare services, manage family budgets and
nutrition, engage with their communities and enjoy family life again.